Introducing NZ Walnut Chatzone
An interactive webspace for sharing news, views, questions and resources on walnut growing in NZ
The NZWIG Communications, Promotions and Stability Committee has undertaken a review of the NZWIG website. Several changes will be implemented as a result. One enhancement of the site is to provide an interactive space for members to add their own comments and material.
Anyone can join in. The only restriction will be that content needs to be related to the aims of the NZ Walnut Industry Group. Basically content needs to be useful to members in developing the walnut industry in NZ and improving best practice management of walnut orchards. As a protection against rogue content getting on, all content will be monitored and (if necessary) controlled by the NZWIG webmaster, Graeme Nicholas.
Technically this is a ‘blog’ (short for ‘web-log’) but don’t let that put you off; it is simply a website that anyone can add material to directly from their own computer, without technical knowledge. All you need is a computer and an internet connection.
NZ Walnut Chatzone is a supplement to the main NZWIG website, www.walnuts.org.nz. It can be accessed through a link on the main site or directly at nzwig.wordpress.com . There is also a link to the main site from NZ Walnut Chatzone.
Here are some helpful hints on using NZ Walnut Chatzone:
• The opening page shows recent items that have been added, each with its own heading and showing who added it.
• Items are arranged in the order they were submitted, with the most recent at the top.
• These main items are referred to as posts.
• At the end of each post there is a note as to how many comments have been added about that post. By clicking on the word ‘comments’ anyone can add a comment on any post. This enables discussion, questions etc. to be sparked of by any post.
• Initially NZWIG committee members and members of the Research Committee will be able to ‘post’ main items. Other members wishing to post main items can request access from the webmaster.
• Anyone can add a comment. There is no special login or sign-in required. However, there is a way of signing in and this means that you are identified with your comment, and gives access to other functions on the site.
• NZ Walnut Chatzone is hosted on a public web-log site, WordPress.com. Anyone can sign up and get a username if they want to. Anyone can also start their own blog on WordPress.com for free.
• To get a username, either so you have greater use of NZ Walnut Chatzone, or to set up your own blog, simply go to www.wordpress.com and follow the instructions. If you do not want your own blog simply choose the “Just a Username please” option.
• Sometimes a word or phrase will be ‘linked’ so that clicking on it will open another page. Links are underlined like this. A link may take you to an item within the Chatzone site, an item on the main NZWIG site, or an item somewhere else on the internet.
• Opinions and views expressed on this site are not necessarily those held by NZWIG.
• Any questions about NZ Walnut Chatzone can either be submitted as a Comment on the sight itself, or emailed to webmaster(at)walnuts.org.nz
